Good Monday to you HerDaily readers. I am wearing my favorite black Foo Fighters T-shirt and my black jeans, as I am in mourning over the end of the football season, and more importantly, possibly the career of Peyton Manning. It was a great day of Super Bowl activities yesterday, capped off by a Manning/Broncos win. Couldn’t be happier. The game was exciting, the alcohol was flowing, the snacks were delicious, and the commercials didn’t disappoint (except maybe the puppeymonkeybaby …I mean, what the heck??) AND, I won $125. I’d say it was a SUPER bowl for me. How about you?
In the event you were without TV or Internet yesterday, here’s the recap. The Denver Broncos did it again. After being written off as the underdogs, Gary Kubiak’s Broncos went up against the seasons MVP and his team of destiny, shutting them down completely. It certainly wasn’t the prettiest Super Bowl we’ve ever seen, but it featured brilliant performances by the league’s two best defenses. Super Bowl MVP Von Miller and the Denver defense sacked Panther QB Cam Newton seven times, preventing him from getting into any kind of rhythm. Playing catch-up all day, Newton had a disappointing performance marred by an interception and two lost fumbles. There was no SuperCam or any dabbing in the final outing of a brilliant season for the performer who was a near-unanimous choice as the season MVP. Peyton Manning, the oldest quarterback to start a Super Bowl, became the first quarterback to win Super Bowls with multiple franchises in a contest, which could mark the end of his prolific, 18-year career. It wasn’t the prettiest game for Manning either, who passed for just 141 yards, but with the top ranked defense behind him, he was able to steer his team to a 24-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers.
Time to move on from football. In other news….
The NBA trading deadline is less than two weeks away and there are a few names swirling around the trading atmosphere, but let’s be honest, teams are saving up and aligning themselves to make a run for Kevin Durant who hits free agency this off-season. It’s all about Kevin Durant…and who can save enough in their salary cap to get him.
A Saturday night prime time matchup featured Durant and the OKC Thunder v. the Golden State Warriors. The game had signs of a blowout early on when the Warriors were up by 20 in the 2nd quarter, but the Thunder and their deep offensive roster were able to fight their way back and make it close with under five to go. But the Warriors were too tough (shocking) and won 116-108. They have now played all the elite teams in the league and beaten each of them.
The Los Angeles Clippers suffered another broken hand. Point guard Austin Rivers suffered the injury moments before he was ejected for arguing with officials last Wednesday in the Clippers’ loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Initial X-rays came back negative, and Rivers told reporters he believed he had a bone bruise – on Friday an MRI revealed the break. Out for up to six weeks, Rivers joins the Clippers broken hand club with other member Blake Griffin. On Sunday, the team got off to a slow start, but got into a rhythm as the game went along. Chris Paul scored a game-high (22 plus 7 assists) in a 100-93 Clipper win over the Miami Heat.
The Denver Nuggets handed the NY Knicks their 5th straight loss in a 101-96 victory.
Nik Vucevic hit an 18-footer at the buzzer and the Orlando Magic beat the Atlanta Hawks 96-94, winning for only the third time in 18 games in 2016.
See all NBA scores and schedules here.
In College Hoops…
Remember the Louisville recruiting scandal we discussed way back in the fall? Well, the university announced a self-imposed one-year post-season ban over the weekend, amid the NCAA investigation into the charges. The Cardinals improved their record to 19-4 with a Saturday victory over Boston College, including 8-2 in ACC play, which would have been a lock to reach the NCAA tournament. It’s sad that these players, especially the seniors, have to pay the price for actions they had nothing to do with. We see this time and time again. The NCAA is a flawed system operating under a stale and hypocritical set of rules. Changes must be made. Any ideas??
The polls JUST came out and we have ANOTHER new No.1. Last week’s No.1 Oklahoma lost to Kansas State 80-69 on Saturday, and the No.2 UNC Tar heels lost a close one to Notre Dame, 80-76. That left No.3 Villanova who beat No. 11 Providence, 72-60, to move into the top spot, while No.4 Maryland, who beat No.18 Purdue, moved to #2. Did you get all that? #reread
It’s been a fun season so far, with several different teams landing at No. 1. The talent is spread all around. Start paying attention because March Madness is exciting, and it’s even better when you know who is playing well, who is the underdog, etc.
Here are the weekend scores and upcoming schedules.
NHL
Last week I told you about the violent hit to linesman Don Henderson by Calgary Flames defensemen Dennis Wideman. Wideman was suspended 20 games for the incident and has since apologized to Henderson claiming he was distracted, and the hit was unintentional, #toolittletoolate.
Bruins prospect Malcolm Subban fractured his larynx on Saturday. Subban suffered the injury when he was struck in the throat by a puck during warm-ups for the Providence Bruins game. Boston took Subban, the brother of Canadiens star P.K. Subban, in the first round of the 2012 draft. No word on how long he will be out.
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ stars came through for a comeback win on Saturday to lift their team to a 3-2 OT victory against the Florida Panthers. Kris Letang had two goals and an assist, including the winning score on a power play in OT, while Sidney Crosby had a goal and two assists in the win.
See all weekend scores, highlights, and upcoming schedules…here.
More news..
Lindsey Vonn, the overall World Cup leader, won a downhill race on a demanding course by a big margin on Saturday, becoming the first woman to win multiple downhills on the Kandahar course. Vonn is getting some competition for the overall World Cup title, although she is still comfortably ahead. Lara Gut of Switzerland secured her first super-G victory of the season on Sunday, prevailing in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, to cut into Vonn’s lead.
With his sport’s biggest event less than three weeks away, NASCAR driver Tony Stewart will see his run of perfect attendance in the Daytona 500 dissolve, due to his recovery from a back fracture. Stewart hasn’t missed a 500 since his debut season in 1999, but will miss this year after undergoing surgery Wednesday to repair a burst fracture of his L1 vertebra suffered in an injury while riding in a sand car in Southern California. Stewart is expected to make a “full recovery” and return to the No. 14 car this season, which was already been announced as his last.
Golfer Rickie Fowler was moved to tears after a loss in the Waste Management Phoenix Open on Sunday. With his entire family in the gallery, it looked like Fowler was headed to victory when he missed and 8ft put on the 16th and then put his tee-shot on the 17th in the water. That was all Hideki Matsuyama needed. They entered the 18th even, tying at the end of regular play. The two ended up back at 17, where Fowler landed in the water for a second time, and lost the match. Fowler has never won in front of his grandparents who were there to watch, and his disappointment showed in the press conference after.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said last Thursday that the league would institute a Rooney Rule for women when it comes to all NFL executive positions. The rule was instituted in 2003, in response to the small percentage of minority candidates being named to head-coaching positions. It aims to force organizations to become familiar with candidates they might not otherwise consider.
Concern is growing over the Zika virus and 2016 Olympic games in Rio this summer. Organizers insist the Games in August will not be affected, but warn visitors and athletes to “shut windows and use mosquito repellent.” Buildup to the event has already started so this is not the kind of stress and worry you want if your country is hosting, #understatement. Let’s see how this plays out.
That’s it for me. I think I’ll leave you with one of my favorite commericals from yesterday, being that I already suggested you watch the creepiest one. I hope you’re out there talking sports with your friends and family, and that you’ll check in next week for more #SportBits. As always, follow me on twitter and instagram for news during the week.
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